Infantino wants two more Africa slots in expanded World Cup
Villar to seek re-election if UEFA bid fails Professional Kuwaiti cycling team races in Spain
ABUJA, July 26, (RTRS): Africa should be given two more places at the World Cup finals if the tournament is expanded to 40 teams, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino told reporters on a brief trip to Nigeria on Monday.
Infantino repeated his presidential election manifesto pledge to push for the World Cup to grow by eight teams to 40 and wants Africa to get at least two extra slots from 2026.
“I believe for the World Cup 2026 — because the 2018 and 2022 finals are already decided — there should be 40
were six African nations at the finals.
Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Angel Maria Villar said he plans to seek re-election to his country’s governing body later this year if he fails in a bid to become UEFA president.
Villar has been acting head of the European soccer federation since October 2015, when Michel Platini was suspended from all footballrelated activities for six years — later reduced to four — for ethics violations.
Last week the Spaniard announced his intention to stand in the UEFA elections on Sept 14 to replace Platini. Slovenian Aleksandar Ceferin and Dutchman Michael van Praag will also contest the presidency.
“I’m standing for UEFA president because the majority of the European federations have asked me to,” Villar, who has been president of the RFEF since 1988, said on Tuesday following a meeting with referees. “If I don’t win or I pull out, which I don’t believe will happen, I will stand for reelection of the RFEF.” RFEF general secretary Jorge Perez is among other candidates for the Spanish vote, which is expected to take place after the UEFA election.
Infantino
Left to right: Members of Massi-Kuwait cycling team at the 93rd Prueba Villafranca -Ordiziako race held in Spain. Massi-Kuwait Cycling Project, a team composed of 14 riders, participated in the 93rd Prueba Villafranca-Ordiziako Klasika race held in Spain, said a Kuwaiti official late Monday.
The race saw the participation of 17 professional teams.
Founder of Massi-Kuwait, Abdullah Al-Shammiri told KUNA that six riders from the team participated in the 165.7 kms-long race, held in Ordizia in the Basque province, Gipuzkoa.
The team was only recently formed, but that did not stop it from participating in many races held in Greece, Azerbaijan, Iran, Serbia, Spain, and Kuwait between April and June, said Al-Shammiri.
The ultimate goal is to make Kuwait a prominent member of the sports world, said Al-Shammiri, quickly pointing to the fact that Massi-Kuwait has earned its legitimacy and recognition by the International Cycling Union (UCI) through its hard work and proactivity.
The current race was won by British rider Simon Yates, member of OricaBike Exchange.
Prueba Villafranca-Ordiziako Klasika, the Spanish cycling road race, was founded in 1922. Since 2005, the race was held under the umbrella of the UCI. (KUNA)